Cleaning apparatus for optical and magneto-optical disks

ABSTRACT

A cleaning apparatus for optical or magneto-optical storage disks includes a first rectangular part having four lateral edges and a raised interior, the interior having at least three troughs for holding utensils for cleaning the optical or magneto-optical storage disks; a second rectangular part having four lateral edges, an interior which is shaped complementary to the interior of the first rectangular part, and a border which runs completely along its four lateral edges for enclosing a disk cassette of a magneto-optical or optical storage disk inserted for cleaning; and a back strap for connecting the two parts to each other such that the two parts can be folded together, similarly to a book, and locked along their lateral edges. The second part further includes a disk bearing which, when the storage disk is inserted, raises the storage disk inside the disk cassette to such an extent that the storage disk is rotatable without friction. A locking device is provided on the interior of the second part for keeping a shutter of the disk cassette open. The interiors of the first and second parts, together with the troughs, the edge beads, the locking device, the disk bearing, and the border are deep-drawn from plastics film.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for optical ormagneto-optical disks which includes two rectangular or square partswhich are connected to one another by a back strap and which can befolded together, similarly to a book, and locked along their lateraledges.

After prolonged use, for example 1000 operating hours, optical andmagneto-optical storage disks must be cleaned to remove dust,fingerprints and electrostatic surface charges on the recording layer.The shutter of the disk cassette which encloses the storage disk must beopened and locked during the cleaning process. The utensils required forcleaning the recording layer, such as brushes, liquids, pads, cloths andturning handle for the storage disk, are, as far as possible, kept readyfor use in a common container.

EP-A-0417726 discloses, for example, a book-like container in which adisk cassette with an optical storage disk is kept, with the shutteropen. The container contains a shutter locking means for opening thedisk cassette shutter and a spindle which supports the optical storagedisk so that it can rotate. An attachment for rotating the storage disksimplifies the manual rotation of the storage disk during the cleaningprocess, which is carried out with the aid of a cleaning cloth and acleaning liquid. The rotary attachment and the cleaning materials arehoused in the book-like housing.

Another cleaning means on the market has an electrically driven spindlebearing on which the storage disk to be cleaned is mounted in order tobe rotated by the electrical drive during the cleaning process. Cleaningis carried out by pressing a cleaning cloth impregnated with thecleaning liquid against that section of the storage disk which isexposed by the shutter. This cleaning means operates completelyautomatically in that the cleaning cloth or the cleaning pad is moved bya motor rarotary knobly toward the circumference of the storage diskwhile the latter rotates. More detailed investigations show that, in thecase of this completely automatic cleaning means, the cleaning pads veryfrequently rest unevenly on the surface of the storage disk to becleaned, so that cleaning takes place in a very nonuniform manner.Individual gauging of the contact pressure of the cleaning pad againstthe storage disk is not possible.

A further cleaning means on the market, in which the storage disk ismanually rotated, contains a spindle bearing having a spindle and alocking means for the disk cassette shutter, which are incorporated inthe cleaning means. The storage disk is mounted on the spindle bearingand caused to rotate by means of a handle, while that region of thestorage disk which is exposed by the open shutter is cleaned with thecleaning cloth impregnated with a cleaning liquid.

A further known, fully automatic cleaning means contains a motor-drivenbrush which is provided with a spiral groove as a cleaning element. Thestorage disk to be cleaned is driven by an electrically operated bearingon which the storage disk rests. The cleaning brush rotates in itsposition synchronously with this drive. Wet cleaning is not possiblewith this cleaning means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a compact, manuallycontrollable cleaning apparatus which stably holds the cleaningutensils, the turning handle for the storage disk to be cleaned, and thedisk cassette; and which can be stored in a compact manner when not inoperation.

To achieve this and other objects of the invention, a cleaning apparatusfor optical or magneto-optical storage disks, includes a firstrectangular part having four lateral edges and a raised interior, theinterior having at least three troughs for holding utensils for cleaningthe optical or magneto-optical storage disks; a second rectangular parthaving four lateral edges, an interior which is shaped complementary tothe interior of the first rectangular part, and a border which runscompletely along its four lateral edges for enclosing a disk cassette ofa magneto-optical or optical storage disk inserted for cleaning; and aback strap for connecting the two parts to each other such that the twoparts can be folded together, similarly to a book, and locked alongtheir lateral edges.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the second part of thecleaning apparatus further comprises a disk bearing which, when thestorage disk is inserted, raises the storage disk inside the diskcassette to such an extent that the storage disk is rotatable withoutfriction.

In another embodiment of the invention, the second part of the cleaningapparatus comprises a locking means including a web which is mountedparallel to the border. The web preferably has a length of about 32 to40 mm, a height of about 5 mm and a width of about 4 to 5 mm. The web isadvantageously mounted about 8 to 12 mm away from the border.

In a still further embodiment of the invention, the second part furthercomprises a stepped stop having a rounded grip recess and arranged alongone lateral edge of the border, wherein an inserted disk cassette restsagainst the stop and an inside of an opposite lateral edge of theborder.

The invention has the advantage that a very compact cleaning apparatuscan be produced very economically because the insides of both parts ofthe cleaning apparatus are deep-drawn from plastic film in oneoperation, so that subsequent mounting of parts, such as the diskbearing or the locking means for the disk cassette shutter, is dispensedwith. Due to the manual rotation of the storage disk to be cleaned, itis also possible to gauge the contact pressure of the cleaning cloth onthe storage disk accurately and to monitor or control the cleaningprocess visually, which is not possible in the case of fully automaticcleaning means.

Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is illustrated in detail below with reference toembodiments shown in the drawings. The drawings are hereby expresslymade a part of the specification.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an opened cleaning apparatus according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the cleaning apparatus according to FIG. 1,folded together similarly to a book;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a cover which closes a trough for holdingcleaning composites;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a rotary knob for manual rotation of thestorage disk to be cleaned in the cleaning apparatus;

FIGS. 5a and 5b show a bottom view of the rotary knob according to FIG.4 and a rubber ring; and

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the opened cleaning apparatus with inserteddisk cassette, whose shutter has been opened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows the unfolded or opened cleaning apparatus 1 which comprisestwo parts 2, 11 which are connected to one another by a back strap 32.The parts 2 and 11 are rectangular or square, the inside of one part 2,the left part in FIG. 1, being raised and having four troughs 3,4,5,6which hold the utensils 7,8,9 for the cleaning of a magneto-optical oroptical storage disk 10, which is partly visible in FIG. 6. Althoughthis is not shown, only three troughs 3,4,5 may also be present. Theembodiment of the troughs is such that they each have a shape or outlineadapted to the contours of the utensils 7,8,9 to be held. The utensilsare a bottle 7 which fits into the first trough 3, cleaning compositesor cleaning pads 8 of textile or fabric cloth and plastics film whichare housed in the second and third troughs 4,5, and a rotary knob whichis held in the fourth trough 6. The bottle 7 and the rotary knob 9 aresnapped firmly into the associated troughs 3 and 6. The second and thirdtroughs 4,5 filled with the cleaning composites 8 are each closed by acover 31 which is shown in the plan view in FIG. 3. The two troughs 4,5are surrounded on three sides by edge beads 18,19,20 continuouslyconnected to one another. The edge beads 18 and 20 have projecting knobsonto which the covers 31 snap shut, the covers having correspondingprojections on their lateral edges, which are flush with the edge beads18 and 20.

The inside of the other part 11 of the cleaning apparatus 1, the rightpart in FIG. 1, has a complementary shape to the part 2 and possesses,along the four lateral edges, a closed border 12 which encloses a diskcassette 14 of a magneto-optical or optical storage disk 10 inserted forcleaning (see FIG. 6). The part 11 has a disk bearing 13 on which thestorage disk 10 rests. The disk bearing 13 raises the storage disk 10inside the disk cassette on insertion, to such an extent that thestorage disk can be rotated without friction in the disk cassette. Alocking means 15 is present as an integral component on the inside ofthe part 11, close to the upper lateral edge of the border 12 in FIG. 1.The locking means 15 keeps an opened shutter 16 of the disk cassette 14open so that, in the opened section of the disk cassette 14, the storagedisk 10 underneath (see FIG. 6) is accessible for cleaning.

The locking means 15 is a web which runs parallel to, and about 8 to 12mm away from, the border 12 and, for example, has a length of 32 to 40mm, a height of 5 mm and a width of 4 to 5 mm.

As is evident from the right part of FIG. 1, a stepped stop 17 isadjacent to one lateral edge of the border 12 of the part 11 holding thestorage disk 10. A rounded grip recess 34 which facilitates removal ofan inserted disk cassette 14 which rests against the stop 17 and theinside of the opposite lateral edge of the border 12 is present in themiddle of the stop 17.

The two parts 2 and 11 are deep-drawn as a whole from plastics film in asingle operation, including the troughs 3,4,5,6, the edge beads18,19,20, the locking means 15, the stop 17, the disk bearing 13 and theborder 12, so that no further operations for completion of the cleaningapparatus are required after production of these parts. After insertionof two cardboard reinforcements, the two parts 2 and 11 are usuallythermally bonded to an outer film, onto which a jacket 33 of atransparent plastics film (see FIG. 2) is adhesively bonded or thermallybonded. Together with the connecting piece of the deep-drawn filmbetween the two parts 2,11 and the outer film, the jacket 33 also formsthe back strap 32 of the cleaning apparatus. FIG. 2 shows the cleaningapparatus 1 in the closed state, in which the two parts interlock alongtheir lateral edges. The closed cleaning apparatus resembles a book inshape.

FIGS. 4 and 5a show the rotary knob 9 in side view and in bottom view,respectively. The rotary knob 9 comprises a knurled grip piece 25 whichhas a smaller diameter than an attachment 27 which widens conicallydownward. A rubber ring 30 which fits into a circumferential groove ispresent in the base surface 26 of the rotary knob 9 (see FIG. 5b). Whenthe rotary knob 9 is placed on the storage disk, the rubber ringprovides a frictional connection with the storage disk 10 so that thelatter is driven by the rotation of the rotary knob 9. As is evidentfrom the bottom view in FIG. 5a, the attachment 27 has, in its basesurface, a recess 28 into which the hub of the storage disk 10 fits. Asis evident from FIG. 6, the attachment 27 centers the storage disk 10 insuch a way that the outer edge of the attachment is guided in a cassettehole 29 of the disk cassette 14.

The bottle 7 is filled with a cleaning liquid which, for wet cleaning,is applied to a cleaning composite 8 with which the exposed section ofthe storage disk 10 is then cleaned in the rarotary knob direction, asshown in FIG. 6. Each of the troughs 3 to 6 is equipped with at leastone rounded grip recess 21,22,23,24 in order to facilitate removal ofthe utensils present in each trough. The fourth trough 6 which holds therotary knob 9 is also equipped with an additional grip recess 24, thetwo grip recesses being opposite one another on both sides of the trough6. The cleaning composite 8 of textile or fabric cloth and plastics filmensures that the cloth used for cleaning, i.e. the cleaning surface, isprotected from contamination by the plastics film before use, so thatthe cleaning composites can be stacked in the troughs 4,5 withoutadditional packaging.

The deep-drawing of the parts 2 and 11 permits economical processingwith little material consumption and easy cleaning, because the parts 2and 11 are formed without seams and without undercuts.

While the invention has been described with reference to certainpreferred embodiments, numerous modifications and alterations to thedescribed embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, andequivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cleaning apparatus for an optical ormagneto-optical storage disk, comprising:a first rectangular part havingfour lateral edges and a raised interior, the interior including fourtroughs for holding utensils for cleaning an optical or magneto-opticalstorage disk, each of the four troughs having a shape adapted tocontours of utensils to be held; a plurality of utensils including abottle, cleaning composites, and a rotary knob wherein the bottlecontains a cleaning liquid for a recording layer of a storage disk andthe bottle is snapped into the first trough, the second and thirdtroughs are filled with the cleaning composites, and the fourth troughhouses the rotary knob which can be mounted on a hub of a storage diskwhich is inserted in a second rectangular part, in order to rotate thestorage disk manually with the aid of the rotary knob; the secondrectangular part comprising:four lateral edges; an interior which isshaped complementary to the interior of the first rectangular part; aborder which runs completely along the four lateral edges for enclosinga disk cassette of a magneto-optical or optical storage disk insertedfor cleaning; a disk bearing which, when a disk cassette is inserted inthe second part, raises a storage disk inside the disk cassette to suchan extent that the storage disk is rotatable without friction; and alocking means on the interior of the second part for keeping a shutterof a disk cassette open wherein the locking means includes a web whichis mounted parallel to the border; and the cleaning apparatus furthercomprising a back strap for connecting the first and second parts toeach other such that the first and second parts can be folded together,similarly to a book, and locked along their lateral edges; wherein therotary knob includes a knurled grip piece, an attachment having a basesurface and conically widening downward toward the base surface, and arubber ring fitted into the base surface, which ring, when the rotaryknob is placed on a storage disk in frictional connection with the disk,drives the disk during the rotation of the rotary knob.
 2. The cleaningapparatus of claim 1, wherein the knurled grip piece has a smallerdiameter than the base surface.
 3. The cleaning apparatus as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the attachment includes, in the base surface, a recessfor the hub of the storage disk; and wherein a attachment centers thestorage disk by guiding an outer edge of the attachment in a cassettehole of a disk cassette.
 4. A cleaning apparatus for an optical ormagneto-optical storage disk, comprising:a first rectangular part havingfour lateral edges and a raised interior, the interior including fourtroughs for holding utensils for cleaning an optical or magneto-opticalstorage disk, each of the four troughs having a shape adapted tocontours of utensils to be held; a plurality of utensils including abottle, cleaning composites, and a rotary knob wherein the bottlecontains a cleaning liquid for a recording layer of a storage disk andthe bottle is snapped into the first trough, the second and thirdtroughs are filled with the cleaning composites, and the fourth troughhouses the rotary knob which can be mounted on a hub of a storage diskwhich is inserted in a second rectangular part, in order to rotate thestorage disk manually with the aid of the rotary knob; the secondrectangular part comprising:four lateral edges; an interior which isshaped complementary to the interior of the first rectangular part; aborder which runs completely along the four lateral edges for enclosinga disk cassette of a magneto-optical or optical storage disk insertedfor cleaning; a disk bearing which, when a disk cassette is inserted inthe second part, raises a storage disk inside the disk cassette to suchan extent that the storage disk is rotatable without friction; and alocking means on the interior of the second part for keeping a shutterof a disk cassette open wherein the locking means includes a web whichis mounted parallel to the border; and the cleaning apparatus furthercomprising a back strap for connecting the first and second parts toeach other such that the first and second parts can be folded together,similarly to a book, and locked along their lateral edges; wherein thesecond and third troughs are surrounded on three sides by edge beadscontinuously connected to one another and wherein the cleaning apparatusfurther comprises covers for closing the second and third troughs bysnapping the covers shut onto the edge beads.
 5. The cleaning apparatusof claim 4, wherein the web has a length of about 32 to 40 mm, a heightof about 5 mm and a width of about 4 to 5 mm.
 6. The cleaning apparatusof claim 4, wherein the web is mounted about 8 to 12 mm away from theborder.
 7. The cleaning apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first andsecond parts are square.
 8. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim4, wherein the second part further comprises a stepped stop having arounded grip recess and arranged along one lateral edge of the border,wherein an inserted disk cassette rests against the stop and an insideof an opposite lateral edge of the border.
 9. The cleaning apparatus asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the interiors of the first and second parts,together with the troughs, the edge beads, the locking means, the stop,the disk bearing, and the border are deep-drawn from plastics film. 10.The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of thetroughs includes at least one rounded grip recess.
 11. The cleaningapparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the fourth trough includes anadditional grip recess located on a side of the fourth trough oppositethe at least one rounded grip recess.